Always Exploring

Linville Gorge Wilderness

Where to even start…. Linville Gorge Wilderness in North Carolina is by far one of my most favorite scenic/wild/amazing places I have ever traveled to. A little history of why this place is so awesome: Formal protection of the area began in 1954, and this is one of the few places in NC to avoid the serious logging and clearcutting that occurred in the following decades. Because of this, a large area (10,000 acres) of old growth forest exists. Many diverse forms of wildlife and vegetation exist here, accessed by a seemingly endless amount of trails that can take usually eventually lead to Linville River, which winds its way through the Gorge.

I have been hiking the Gorge since 2011 and so here put together a few of my favorite shots that attempt to capture some of the grandeur and epic-ness of this amazing area. The photos show the start of the Gorge at which is near Linville Falls, all the way to Lake James, which sits in the valley southeast of the Gorge collecting water from the Linville River.

I encourage anyone reading this to take your own journey to Linville Gorge, and to start at Linville Falls where information can be found about trails and camping. From there it’s your own adventure! More than enough to explore, and thanks to preservation efforts it should remain true to its name as ‘Wilderness’.